A Deep and Timeless Sea
by Komaki Nakao
Summary: Snapdragonshipping - Erika is happy when she discovers Lance is aboard the S.S. Anne with her, but what happens when she starts to develop feelings for the somewhat oblivious league champion?
1. All Aboard The Fantastic SS Anne

"_**I had a long dream about swimming – across the sea."**_** – Tyler Ramsey's "A long Dream"**

The S.S. Anne was supposed to be the most luxurious ship in the world. It was huge, the size of some towns, and could carry over a thousand passengers all around the world. Through its roundtrip journey, which took a year to complete, the S.S. Anne made many stops in the exotic Hoenn region, as well as Sinnoh's Sunyshore City. However, the ship only stopped in the Kanto region once a year; to visit its home in Vermillion City for a few days before departing again.

"It's even bigger than I imagined…" Erika said, looking up at the magnificent ship in awe.

"Gloooooom," Gloom said, nodding with agreement.

"It's the biggest ship in the world," Lt. Surge said, sounding so proud that, if Erika didn't know any better, she might have assumed that he had built the ship himself, with his own two hands.

"The ship is safe, isn't it?" one of the maids – an elderly woman named Sayuri - inquired. She had long, gray hair that she always pulled into a tight bun on the top of her head. Unlike the younger maids, who had taken to wearing shorter dresses, Sayuri always wore her skirts so long that they touched the ground. As a child, Erika often wondered if she had any feet under there (when she tried to investigate, she was promptly grounded).

"Of _course_ it's safe!" Lt. Surge said, as if that were the stupidest question he had ever heard. "This ship was built here, in Vermillion City. My gym helped fund the project, and we even did a bit of the work ourselves. I can assure you, this ship is safe."

_He's one of the most paranoid people I've ever known,_ Erika thought. _So if he thinks it's safe, that should be enough to convince anybody._

"Excuse me," a nearby sailor asked the group. "But do you require any assistance?"

"Yes, please," Erika said, bowing politely. "We have quite a bit of luggage in our car, you see…"

The man looked at the car directly behind them, which was so bogged down with luggage that it looked as though it would give way at any second. However, the sailor seemed unintimidated and simply waved over a couple of Machoke to assist him.

"Take all the luggage to suite number four," Sayuri instructed.

"Yes, ma'am," the sailor said, saluting Lt. Surge before he took off.

"Thank you for escorting us today, Lieutenant," said Erika. "I'm afraid I don't know your city very well; I might have gotten lost on my own."

"Or fallen asleep somewhere and missed boarding the ship altogether," Sayuri added quietly. Erika shot her a dirty look, but knew that she was probably right.

"The pleasure is all mine," he said, giving her hand a brief kiss. "It's a shame I cannot join you during your trip."

"Y-yes," Erika stammered nervously. Her first instinct had been to yank her hand away, but she allowed him to hold onto it out of politeness. "Too bad…"

"Well, you'd better board the ship," Lt. Surge said, smiling as he let go of her hand. "I'm sure we'll see each other again soon."

Erika cleared her throat, "Yes, of course."

"Come along," Sayuri said, beginning to lose her patients. "Or they'll leave without us."

"Erika-sama," Emiko, a maid with short blue hair, said meekly. "Would you care to stay on deck and watch the launch? I'm sure it will be most exciting!"

"Yes, I think I would like that," said Erika. "Will you be able to manage, Sayuri?"

"It'll be tough, but I'm sure I'll survive," Sayuri said dryly.

Erika grinned as the gaggle of girls boarded the S.S. Anne, anxious to start her adventure. Once they were on board, Erika, Emiko, and another girl by the name of Ayame left the group and found a spot along the railing. Dozens – no, more like _hundreds _– of people were already crowded there, and the three girls had a difficult time finding a gap big enough for all of them to fit.

"You know, I just thought of something," Ayame said, her voice nearly drowned out by the horde. Everyone seemed to be waving and hollering their goodbyes.

"What's that?" Erika asked curiously.

"We don't really have anyone to wave to, do we?" the cheerful girl said.

"Oh, you're right," said Emiko. "I feel a little silly now..."

_I've always liked Ayame and Emiko_, Erika thought, yawning as she waved at the people on the docks. _They're both always so jovial. I'm glad they came with me._

Erika's hands flew over her ears as the boat's whistle blew, so loudly that her ears were ringing for quite some time afterwards. Confetti and streamers were tossed everywhere, and Erika did not envy the people and Pokemon who would have to sweep up the mess later. The S.S. Anne started to leave the harbor; slowly at first, gaining speed as Vermillion City became smaller and smaller. The crowd started to filter out, but Erika and her companions stayed on deck until the coast was no longer visible.

_It'll be nice to get away for a while,_ Erika thought, closing her eyes. The salty ocean air was so relaxing…

"We should go down to our suite, Erika-sama," said Emiko. "I'm sure they're wondering where we are."

"Hmmmm?" Erika mumbled, jumping when she snapped back to reality. "I'm terribly sorry. What's going on?"

Ayame giggled, "Come on, we'll take you down to your room. You can take a nap when we get there."

Though Erika had no idea how, Ayame and Emiko seemed to know exactly where they were going. The trek seemed to take forever, but eventually Erika found herself standing outside suite number four. She could hear Sayuri barking out orders while Emiko unlocked the door.

"Here, Erika-sama," she said, handing the key over once the door was open. "This one is yours."

"Thank you," Erika said, slowly stepping inside. The first room appeared to be the living room. A couple of Machoke – wearing vests that signified that they were part of the S.S. Anne's staff – rearranged furniture under Sayuri's guidance. A pair of Bellsprout were setting up a kotatsu in the middle of the room. Like clockwork, Emiko and Ayame jumped right in and began helping, and Erika marveled at the efficiency of it all.

Sayuri didn't fail to notice Erika's arrival. It was as if she had Erika on some sort of special radar; in seconds Sayuri was at her side.

"It seems smaller than it did in the photographs," she said, sounding even more irritated than usual.

Hoping to relieve some of the tension, Erika smiled. "I think it looks lovely."

"I'm glad it's too your liking," the older woman said. "Erika, there is something I wish to discuss with-"

"Do you think I could have a short nap first?" Erika asked quickly. "All that sun on deck made me really sleepy. I don't think I can…" Erika trailed off, faking a yawn. "I don't think I can stay awake for another second."

Sayuri groaned, "Very well. Your room is the one on the right; you'll find your things are in there waiting for you. I'll come get you when it's time for dinner."

"Thank you," Erika said, bowing politely before she left.

Erika loved her room the instant she opened the door. The bottom half of the walls were decorated with white paneling, the upper half with dark purple wallpaper that had been splashed with a nice floral print. The furniture was all constructed of the same, dark wood, and all of her belongings had already been put in their proper places. Gloom sat on the bed, perking up like a flower in the morning when he noticed her enter the room.

"If she thinks I'm going to be spending the entire trip in here, she's got another thing coming," Erika said, a sly grin creeping across her face. Gloom bounced up and down with excitement.

"Alright, let's get out of-" Erika paused when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She was wearing one of her favorite kimonos. It had been a gift from Jasmine – a fellow gym leader who resided in the Johto region, and one of the people Erika was hoping to see during her vacation. According to Jasmine, the kimono had been hand stitched in Ecruteak City, by an elderly woman who had been making them her entire life. The silky fabric was a pale red color, with golden embellishments and a dark red obi to match.

It was beautiful, yes, but far too recognizable. Erika had hoped to not attract any attention during her trip. If she went out dressed like that, someone would recognize her for sure, and then people would start propositioning her for battles…

"Perhaps I should change first," she decided. "Gloom, do you think you could help me untie the obi?"

Erika changed as swiftly as possible, trading her traditional-style dress for something more contemporary. She always felt a little odd when she wore pants, but when she looked in the mirror, she saw that the jeans she had selected were a perfect fit. Still feeling in the mood for red, Erika picked out a scarlet tank top that hugged her tightly under the bust and hung loosely around her torso. A flower resembling the Pokemon Vileplume covered each breast. Erika thought the top was cute, but Sayuri insisted that it was "unbecoming of a young lady of Erika's status" and never allowed her to wear it out.

_Not that she can do anything about it now_, Erika thought, smiling at her reflection. She looked positively normal.

"I don't know what's gotten into me," she said to her trusted Pokemon. "But all of a sudden, I feel so… excited! This must be what vacations do to people."

"Gloom!" the plant agreed, punching the air.

"We'll sneak out the window, so Sayuri won't see," Erika said, giggling as she threw open the curtain. When she found herself face-to-face with a wild Tentacool, she couldn't help but scream, throwing the curtain shut quickly.

"Erika-sama!" Emiko said from the other side of the door. "Erika-sama, are you alright?"

"I'm f-f-fine," Erika stammered, holding her hand over her heart. "I just… I thought I saw a spider. I'm going back to sleep now."

Slowly, she crept back over to the window, slowly opening the curtain again. The Tentacool had fled, and now Erika could see the vast ocean outside the small, circular window.

"That ugly thing was probably just as frightened as I was," she sighed, sitting down on the bed. "I can't believe we're under water. How are we supposed to sneak out now?"

Gloom sat down on the floor, scratching tie bud on his head thoughtfully. After a few moments, he jumped up and hurried over to Erika's dresser.

"W-what?" she asked, watching the Pokemon as it dug through her things. "What are you up to, Gloom?"

"Gloom!" he answered, holding up Erika's gasmask as if it were a prize. She often wore it when flower-arranging with Pokemon who weren't familiar with the process; they often felt threatened and released spores into the air for protection. He waddled over to the bed and handed it to Erika, motioning for her to put it on.

"Okay," she said, fastening the mask around her face. She watched curiously as Gloom opened the door, excreting a familiar pink haze that Erika easily recognized: Sleeping Powder.

_What a brilliant idea_, Erika thought, grabbing her bag before she peeked out into the main room. All of the maids, as well as the Pokemon, were sleeping peacefully on the floor. She stepped over them carefully, with Gloom following close behind. When she reached the door, she took a deep breath, threw off the gasmask, and opened the door quickly, practically falling out into the hallway. Somehow, she managed to get the door shut before any of the gas leaked out.

"That was close," she sighed, resting her back against the door. "Thanks, Gloom."

"Gloom, gloom," he said, bowing.

As Erika stood up, she saw an elderly couple staring at her. The lady held a snobby-looking Skitty in her arms, and behind them a very annoyed Poliwrath was carrying their suitcases.

"Hehe, sorry…" Erika said, quickly darting off down the hall. Gloom followed after her, yelling at her to slow down. Once she rounded a corner, she stopped, already needing to catch her breath.

_If they knew who I was, they wouldn't have looked at me like that,_ Erika thought, peeking around the corner. The couple had already entered their suit; the hall was empty.

"But I guess that's the whole point, right?" she said, looking down at Gloom. He tilted his head to the side, confused, which made Erika laugh. "Come on, let's see what's happening on deck."

* * *

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Erika and her posse, another important face in the Kanto region had also boarded the S.S. Anne. Like the former, Lance was seeking a break from all his duties involving the Pokemon League, and wished to have his identity remain a secret during the voyage. That's why he and Dragonite both wore sunglasses as they stood on the deck, watching Vermillion City disappear.

"This was a wonderful idea," Lance said, stretching out his arms. "With these disguises, no one will recognize-"

"Hey, mister," a tiny voice said, and Lance looked down to see a little boy tugging on his cape. "Aren't you Lance the dragon trainer?"

"Pft, no…" Lance said nervously. "What gave you a silly idea like that?"

"Your cape, sir," he said calmly. "And the big dragon."

"Oh, you kids and your imaginations," Lance said, trying to laugh it off. However, the child didn't leave, and continued to stare up at him with a stern expression. At last, Lance sighed with defeat, pulling his wallet out of his back pocket. "Alright kid, I'll give you five Pokedollars if you don't tell anyone you saw me."

"Make it fifteen and you've god a deal," the boy said, holding out his pudgy hand.

Lance glared at the kid, cursing in his head – because gentlemen never curse aloud, especially in front of women and children – as he forked over the cash. The boy seemed content, and skipped off down the dock singing a little tune.

"I can't believe that kid saw through us! He must be some kind of savant or something…" Lance said helplessly. Dragonite gave him a soft pat on the back, hoping his trainer would realize that the sunglasses were a stupid idea before he got too depressed.


	2. An Afternoon at the Pool

**_"Confusion now hath made his masterpiece!" - _Shakespeare's "Macbeth"**

There were so many things to do on the S.S. Anne that Erika didn't even know where to start. There were dozens of cute little shops that sold everything from clothes to knickknacks. There was an impressive gym for both humans _and_ Pokemon, which contained every workout apparatus Erika had ever heard of – and some she hadn't – as well as a full basketball court and several racquetball rooms. The nail salon and beauty parlor was tempting, but Erika decided she would rather spend her time outside.

When she stumbled upon the outdoor swimming pool, she instantly regretted not bringing her bathing suit. It looked like the perfect way to spend the day; splashing in the clear water with her Pokemon. Instead, she bought a crêpe filled with yogurt and strawberries and sat by the pool, taking her sandals off and rolling up her jeans so she could dip her feet in the water.

"I should have worn shorts," Erika said, splashing Gloom with her feet. The grass Pokemon was floating on top of the water "It's starting to get really warm. It's making me sleepy…"

* * *

"Ahhhhh, this was a wonderful idea," Lance said, stretching out under the warm sun. His stylish Gyarados swim trunks seemed to be gathering a lot of attention; the people that walked by all stopped to look at him for a few moments before they went on about their business. That feeling of the warm rays against his skin, coupled with the light, salty breeze that was blowing through almost made up for the fact that the plastic chairs lined up near the pool were _extremely uncomfortable. _

"Drag," Dragonite agreed, sipping at his iced tea. Sometimes it amazed Lance how… how human Dragonite behaved sometimes. He could never understand how people like Team Rocket could think of Pokemon as mere tools for fighting and destruction…

Lance was yanked out of his blissful daze, however, when he heard the sound of a woman screaming. In one swift motion, he leapt up, discarding his sunglasses and cape as he ran towards the source of the noise; a little old lady in an inner tube floating by the edge of the pool.

"Help! Help!" she was yelling frantically. "A girl fell in! Help!"

Without a second thought, Lance jumped into the water. There weren't too many people swimming in the area; a Gloom flailing about in the water seemed to be keeping them away.

The girl in question was easy to spot in the clear water; her red shirt popped against the calm blue color of the pool. She was sinking slowly, making no attempts to swim to the surface. Lance swam over to her, hooking one of his arms under hers. She was light, and it took almost no extra effort to bring her to above the water. Lance gasped for breath as his head cleared the surface of the water.

"Are you alright, Miss?" he asked, receiving no verbal response. She didn't respond, and her eyes were closed, but she appeared to be breathing. Confused, Lance swam over to the edge of the pool, lifting the girl up against his chest once he reached the shallow end, where his feet could touch the floor.

"Mmmm…" she mumbled, curling closer to him. She looked very peaceful.

_Is she sleeping?_ Lance thought, hardly able to believe it. _Someone actually slept through drowning?_

_Well, almost,_ he reminded himself. _I did save her, after all._

"Excuse me, sir," one of the pool employees said as he marched over. "But what on earth is going on over here?"

"I think she, er… fell asleep," Lance said, placing the girl on his chair. "And then she must have tumbled into the pool. Thankfully, I happened to be nearby; I dove in and saved her life."

"You know, we have lifeguards for that sort of thing…" the employee said uneasily. "Do you think she'll be alright?"

"I don't know…" Lance said, gently pushing the girl's ebony hair out of her face as he looked her over. She didn't appear to have any injuries. Lance couldn't help but notice that the weight of the water had caused the practically -placed flowers on her bust to droop, revealing a hint of the lacy blue garment underneath.

"Hey, have you even been listening to me?" the pool employee snapped. It suddenly occurred to him that the man had been babbling for quite some time now.

"I'm sorry," Lance said, forcing himself out of yet another pleasant trance. "Were you talking to me?"

"_Yes_, I was talking to you!" he went on. "I was just saying that I think we should take her to the infirmary!"

"Mmmm…" the girl groaned again, but this time her eyes started to flutter open. For a few moments, she didn't move, and Lance found himself holding his breath. Then, quite suddenly, she sat up, coughing up a mouthful of water and gasping greedily for breath.

_Thank goodness,_ Lance thought, exhaling.

"I… I'm all w-wet…" she stuttered, staring at the small pool of water she had just coughed into her palm. "B-b-but…"

"Draaaag," Dragonite said as he draped Lance's cape across her shoulder, causing her to jump. She nodded a polite _thank you_, wrapping the garment around herself tightly.

"You fell into the pool," Lance told her, not really sure what else there was to say.

"Y-yeah," she said, looking ashamed as she stared at the ground. "I figured as much…"

"Would you like to go to the infirmary?" he asked.

She shook her head, "No, I'm fine."

"That's what they all say…" the pool employee grumbled. "At any rate, if you would like a dry change of clothes, I'm sure I can find some for you."

"That would be nice," she said. "Thank you."

"Follow me," he said unenthusiastically, pointing towards what appeared to be the changing area.

The girl got up, stumbling a little at first. Still in hero-mode, Lance jumped up to steady her. She thanked him with a smile – a real one this time – and began to follow the employee. She paused, however, and turned back towards him.

"I still have your… towel," she said, her cheeks turning a pale shade of pink. "Do you mind if I-"

"Go on," said Lance. "You can bring my cape back to me later."

"Hey, lady," the employee called over his shoulder, looking even more irritated than before. "Are you coming or what?"

"Right," she nodded, bowing hurriedly before she turned, so quickly that she almost stumbled again. "Um, please wait here; I'll be right back!"

"Alright…" Lance said, watching as the two of them left. He sat back down on his now-damp chair, putting his sunglasses back on (anyone who had seen his heroic feat might have recognized him, but he saw no reason to keep going without his safeguard. His shoulders felt bare without a cape.

Lance felt Dragonite tapping his shoulder, and when he turned around he saw that the large Pokemon was offering him a sip of his iced tea.

Lance grinned, "Thank you, but I'm not thirsty."

Dragonite shrugged, finishing the drink in one dragon-sized gulp.

"That was really strange," said Lance. "I didn't even know it was possible to be asleep under water…"

After what felt like hours – in actuality it was only about ten minutes – the girl returned. She carried her soaked clothes in a canvas tote bag, and was now wearing a pair of men's shorts and an oversized t-shirt that read _I'm on a Boat_.

"I'm sorry it took me so long," she said. Lance could tell by the sound of her voice that she was already in much brighter spirits. "I had to go back and look for my sandals and my purse."

"It's quite alright," he said. "That's an interesting shirt."

"Oh, yeah," she said, laughing as she tugged at the large garment. "It was the only appropriate shirt they had back there."

Lance smiled, "Considering we _are_ on a boat, I would say that yes, that shirt is very appropriate."

"No…" she said, blushing a bit. "I meant that… Well, all of the girl's shirts were a bit… _revealing_, and most of the men's shirts were really crude."

"Oh…"

"Hang on just a second," she said, digging through the bag for a few seconds before she pulled out Lance's cape.

"Thank you," he said, grateful to have it back. It was wet, of course, so Lance hesitated for a moment before he put it on; after all, he was wet, as well.

"So that's what that was," the girl said softly. "I mean, I should be the one thanking you, Lance. According to that man, you just saved my life."

"It was no trouble at all," Lance said. "I – Wait! You just called me Lance!"

The girl giggled, "Of course; what else would I call you?"

_She did see you without the sunglasses,_ Lance reminded himself. He cleared his throat, "I'm sorry, but I believe you have me mistaken for someone else. My name is… um… Chet."

Behind him, Lance heard Dragonite laughing, and it took all his willpower to refrain from turning around to glare at the dragon Pokemon.

"Oh…" the girl said, looking a little confused. "My mistake; you look _just_ like Lance, the league champion."

"Heh, you know, I get that all the time," Lance said truthfully. Counting this girl, four people had already seen through his disguise. Perhaps he should have gotten those reflective lenses after all… "Not that I mind; he is really cool. Someday, I would like to have him autograph my cape."

She giggled, "Well, if you aren't Lance, I suppose I should introduce myself; my name is Erika. It's a pleasure to meet you, Chet."

Seeing her like that – smiling, with big brown eyes as she held out her hand for him to shake – Lance felt a strange sense of déjà vu. He quickly pushed it aside, knowing that even if _Lance_ had met this girl somewhere before, _Chet_ certainly hadn't.

"The pleasure is all mine," he said, shaking her hand. "Would you care for a snow cone, Erika?"

Her smile grew, "Actually, that sounds wonderful. I must have lost my crepe in the pool…"

"Alright," Lance said, leading her over to the bar where Dragonite had bought his iced tea. From there, Lance could keep an eye on his Pokemon, though he knew Dragonite was more than capable of taking care of himself.

"Oh wow, I didn't even know they made that many flavors of snow cones," Erika said, eyeing the menu with amazement. "I think I'll try blue coconut."

"And I'll have cherry," Lance said, passing a bill across the counter.

"Aww, you should have let me pay," Erika scolded as she crawled onto the bar stool, which was just a little bit too tall for her.

Lance, however, had no problem settling into his seat, "Nonsense; a gentleman never allows a lady to pay for a meal."

"But this isn't a meal," Erika pointed out. "It's just a snow cone."

"Nevertheless, it's the same basic principal."

"But you saved my life," she said. The man behind the counter handed them their treats, and the debate didn't stop her from digging right in. "I owe you…"

Lance took a bite of his snow cone. The cherry flavoring was delicious, and the cool ice felt good as it danced down his throat, causing him to shiver.

"You don't owe me anything," he said. "But, if you don't mind me asking… How is it someone falls asleep while underwater?"

Erika – her mouth already turning blue around the edges from the coconut flavoring – once again looked away in embarrassment. "I was asleep before I hit the water."

"But falling in didn't wake you up," said Lance. "I don't understand how that's possible."

"I…" she trailed of, taking a deep breath. "I have narcolepsy. I fall asleep a lot without meaning to; I don't have any control over it. The last thing I remember was sitting by the pool… I must have fallen asleep and slipped into the pool."

"I see…" Lance said. Admittedly, he didn't know much about narcolepsy, but it didn't sound like fun. "That sounds really rough."

"I've been this way for a long time," she went on, running her spoon through the ice in her cup. Some of it spilled out onto the counter, but she didn't seem to notice. "Since my parents died…"

Lance gulped; when he started the conversation, he had no idea it was going to be this heavy. "I'm sorry-"

"No, it's fine," said Erika. "It was a long time ago."

"How old were you?"

"Nine," she said. "Ever since then, I've always had someone looking after me. I usually don't go out on my own."

"I can see why," he said.

"I hate it," she said, the harshness in her voice surprising him. "Just once, I'd like to be able to do something on my own. My door has to be locked from the outside at night, because sometimes I sleepwalk. I can't even go to the grocery store without falling asleep. It's so embarrassing sometimes…"

"You shouldn't feel ashamed to ask people for help," Lance said, feeling very wise. Passing along something he learned from his grandfather always made him feel that way. "It doesn't make you weak, especially if you're there for them when they need you."

"Yeah, I suppose…" Erika said, finally looking back up at him. "I shouldn't have dumped all of that on you, I apologize."

"Don't mention it," he said. "What are friends for?"

"But we've only just met," Erika reminded him. "It seems awfully rude of me to-"

"There you are!" a shrill voice interrupted, and when Lance turned around, he saw an elderly woman in a kimono rushing towards them, trailed by a couple of girls wearing maid's uniforms. Erika went ridged, all of the color except for the blue around her mouth draining from her face.

Slowly, she turned around, "Sayuri, I-"

"Look at you!" she said. "What are you _wearing? _And what on earth is that on your mouth?"

Erika gulped, "I had a snow cone-"

"I bet you think you're really clever, don't you?" she scolded. "Using Sleep Powder so you could sneak out!"

"I didn't think you'd let me go otherwi-"

"We will talk about this later," the woman said. "Come along, Erika."

"Y-yes, ma'am," she said, sliding off of her stool. She looked as though she would burst into tears at any moment. "Goodbye, Lan… _Chet_."

"Goodbye," he said, watching her leave for the second time. Yet, somehow, this time he was even more confused than the last.

"And just who do you think you are?" the lingering, pink-haired maid asked, giving Lance a bold shove. Had he not been so caught off guard, he might have actually _appreciated_ it; if this angry lady knew who he was, she probably wouldn't have shoved him. At last, he had fooled someone!

"I-"

"A womanizing pig, no doubt," she said, crossing her arms.

"No!" Lance said quickly. "It was nothing like that!"

"You men are all the same; you're all just after Erika-sama's money," she said, crossing her arms. "She may be naive, but I can see right through your philandering ways!"

"I'm not a philanderer, I swear," he said, holding his hands up in mock-surrender. Having never been in a situation even similar to this one, he was quite flustered. "I didn't even know she _had_ money! I mean, she offered to pay for the snow cones, so I assumed she had some cash on her, but-"

"Ha, don't make me laugh," she said. "There's no way in hell that you didn't know the heir of Celadon Gym was well off."

"I'm telling you, I didn't-" Lance paused, reality suddenly hitting him like a sack of bricks. "You mean…"

Suddenly, the maid's face softened, "Oh, she didn't tell you? Erika-sama is the leader of the Celadon City Gym. You didn't recognize her? She's, like, famous, I thought…"

"No…" Lance said blankly. "No, I didn't recognize her…"


	3. Something to Consider

"_**I'm torn in pieces,  
I'm blind and waiting for you.  
My heart is reeling,  
I'm blind and waiting for you."**_**  
- "Big Machine" by The Goo Goo Dolls**

_I don't think I've ever felt this embarrassed before in my entire life,_ Erika thought while she showered. Even though they were only having a small dinner in the suite, Sayuri insisted that she wash the chlorine from the pool out of her hair and dress for dinner; that is, after she had ranted and raved about Erika's little stunt for a good half hour.

_I suppose I deserved that part,_ she reminded herself. _But did she have to freak out in front of Lance like that? I'm not a child – and even if I was, she isn't my _mother.

Erika knew it had been Lance all along, of course. She had heard of him doing undercover work in the past, so she decided to go along with the Chet-act in case it _was_ important that his identity was kept a secret. However, other than the name change, he didn't seem to be doing anything to conceal himself. Even without Dragonite, the cape had been an instant giveaway.

_He did a good job of staying in character, I guess,_ Erika thought while she dried her hair. _For a second there, I really thought that he didn't recognize me._

She groaned, stepping back into her bedroom. "Part of me wishes he didn't; I don't think I'll ever be able to look him in the eye again. I feel so stupid…"

"Glo-gloom," Gloom said apologetically.

"It wasn't your fault," Erika said, petting her Pokemon fondly. "You thought I was in trouble – I _was_ in trouble – I don't blame you for coming back here to get Sayuri. I just… I wish she hadn't shown up so soon."

He tilted his head to the side, "Gloom?"

"Well, I was having a good time," Erika explained as she went through her closet, selecting a baby pink kimono for dinner. "It was nice to go out on a date with a guy without Sayuri or someone else trailing me – a guy who isn't particularly interested in the Celadon fortune."

"Gloom," Gloom said as he tied her obi. Erika decided to take that as an agreement.

"I guess it wasn't really a date, was it?" she sighed. "We were just hanging out. But still, Lance is very handsome…"

She shook her head, "No, it wasn't a date. There's no way he'd be interested in me, _especially_ after that scene at the pool."

Once she was dressed, Erika stepped out into the main room. Sayuri was already waiting for her, sitting under the kotatsu with a fresh cup of tea.

_Maybe bringing this thing along wasn't such a bad idea,_ Erika thought as she joined her elder. _It's kind of cold down here…_

"I… I'm sorry," Erika said, her eyes glued to the table. "I feel terrible about what I did."

"What you did was absolutely foolish," Sayuri agreed. "But I suppose I can forgive you."

Erika looked up, smiling at the older woman. Sayuri was strict and stern, but deep down – really deep down – she had a soft spot for Erika.

"However," she said, narrowing her eyes. "I expect you to behave yourself from now on. You turn eighteen next month, but until then I am still your guardian."

"Yes, I understand," said Erika. The thought of her approaching birthday made her heart flutter. Part of her knew that things wouldn't change much. She still wouldn't be able to go anywhere alone because of her narcolepsy, but at least she would be able to make more of her own decisions…

"That being said, there is something the two of us need to discuss," said Sayuri. "It's time you started thinking about the future."

Erika already knew where this was going; Sayuri had tried to start this conversation at least a dozen times. It almost always ended up with the two of them fighting.

"Don't make that face," Sayuri said. "You're the only living heir, Erika. You have responsibilities to live up to."

"I didn't ask for all these responsibilities," Erika said bitterly.

"No, you were born into it," Sayuri admitted. "And I realize that it isn't your fault that your parents passed away without producing anymore children. The world has forced a heavy burden on you. But you're growing up, and growing up means realizing that there is more to life than Pokemon battling and flower arranging!"

"Of course I realize that," said Erika. "I'm not stupid."

"Sometimes you make me wonder," said Sayuri. "You aren't going to be young forever. You've got suitors lined up for miles, and you turn them all away without giving them a chance."

"You and I both know that they're only after the Celadon fortune," said Erika. "I don't want to marry someone who is only interested in me because of money."

"I'm sure that's not all they're interested in," Sayuri said kindly. "You've grown into a beautiful young lady, Erika, and you're a very talented gym leader."

"But… it all just seems so… _shallow_," said Erika. "It isn't even the slightest bit romantic."

Sayuri rolled her eyes, "Fine, then. How would you do it, then?"

"I don't know," Erika sighed. "I would just like to meet someone on my own, I guess. No planned meeting, nothing forced. I'd like to find someone I can talk to about anything. Someone who makes me feel safe. Someone who loves _me_, you know?"

Sayuri snorted, "And how do you expect to find someone like that _without_ some sort of arranged meeting?"

"You asked me how I wanted to meet someone," said Erika. "You never said that I had to be realistic."

She smiled, "If the suitors aren't interesting to you, I think I may have found an alternative for you to consider."

"An alternative?" Erika questioned. "What do you mean?"

"I happened to notice that _someone_ seems to be taking a special interest in you these days," Sayuri said, smirking in a way that made her look ten years younger.

"R-really?" Erika stammered, feeling her face grow warm. "Who?"

"Don't play coy with me, young lady," she said. "I saw the two of you flirting; it was almost improper, the way you two were carrying on."

_Is she talking about Lance?_ Erika thought, feeling her throat tighten. _But other than this afternoon, we haven't spoken since the last League meeting, and that was at least three months ago. Does Sayuri know something I don't know?_

"I wasn't sure how I felt about it, at first," Sayuri continued. "The Lieutenant doesn't come from a prominent family or have a particularly high social status. However, I think his military record and success as a gym leader more than make up for that."

"W-wait, you're talking about Lt. Surge," Erika said, unable to stop herself from letting out a sigh of relief. Erika had been aware of Surge's advances. At the last League meeting, when she turned in her request for a leave of absence so she could take her vacation, he practically attached himself to her hip. He insisted that the S.S. Anne was the _only_ option safe enough for her. He had even offered to accompany her on the journey, though she respectfully declined.

"Please, don't reject the idea just because _I'm_ the one who suggested it," Sayuri said. "The Lieutenant expressed interest in visiting you at some point during our trip, when the ship makes port. At least promise me you'll consider it."

Erika didn't want to consider it. She respected Lt. Surge, but she wasn't the least bit attracted to him. He was relatively good looking, yes, but she couldn't imagine spending her life with someone that paranoid. It would be worse than living under Sayuri's rule, especially when he discovered how bad her narcolepsy could be.

Hesitantly, Erika cleared her throat, "I'll consider it…"

* * *

_Lance could still remember the first time he met Erika; she was making her debut at the annual Pokemon League Summit; where Gym leaders and other invited guests from across the continent gathered to discuss various issues (though in reality, Lance was quickly finding out, they spent most of their time goofing off). He was about fifteen at the time, and was serving as a member of the Indigo League's Elite Four. Though he was on the lowest rung when it came to power and authority, it was still quite an accomplishment for someone his age._

_Erika was about twelve at the time, and the age difference seemed so vast to Lance then. She seemed so much younger – far too young to be a gym leader. Agatha had explained to him earlier that Erika had been chosen to inherit her title when she was born. Lance wasn't quite sure how; he usually didn't have the attention span to listen to Agatha's babbling for too long, so he must have missed that part._

_The top of her head didn't even clear his shoulder (though, Lance had to admit, he had been an awkwardly-tall teen). Her dark hair had been tied into a complicated bun on the top of her head. She looked very pretty in her pale blue kimono._

"_It's a pleasure to meet you, Sempai," she said, bowing. "My name is Erika. Koga-sama told me about you; he says that you're a very powerful trainer, and that you could be league champion someday. I promise I will do my best for you!"_

"_Awwww~!" Gardenia squealed, pulling the younger girl into a tight hug. "I love it when you talk like that; so polite! Isn't she adorable, Lance? Couldn't you just eat her up?"_

_Lance opened his mouth to reply, only to be cut off by an approaching "ghost". It was obviously Morty wearing a sheet, but Gardenia still screamed when he whispered "boo" into her ear._

_Morty laughed, removing the sheet, "That works every time."_

"_Gaaah, damn you!" Gardenia scowled, her face turning red with embarrassment. "I bet you think you're really funny, huh?"_

_Erika giggled as she watched her mentor chase after the Ghost-type trainer, looking up at Lance with a wide smile, "Gardenia-sempai hates ghosts."_

She's so… polite…_ Lance thought, staring at the girl blankly. _I don't know anyone who still uses suffixes like that…

Lance stretched out on his bed, staring up at the dull white ceiling. His room (which was much smaller than Erika's multi-room suite, yet still gave him plenty of room) was decorated in a corny nautical theme, with a stuff swordfish hanging above the door and a coffee table crafted from an old helm.

"_I donno Clair,"_ he had said as he watched his cousin plan his vacation. "_That room looks a little silly, don't you think? I don't really need a special room. I don't think I'll be spending much time in there anyway."_

"_Come on Lance,"_ she said, rolling her eyes. _"If you're going on a cruise, you should do it right."_

Lance sat up, dangling his legs over the edge of the waterbed. In the bathroom, his freshly captured Dratini and Horsea were splashing around in the tub, under Dragonite's supervision. Building trust is an important aspect of Pokemon training, so he decided to bring them along on his trip, to get to know them a little better.

"I still can't believe Erika was _Erika_," Lance sighed. "She looks so different when she isn't wearing a kimono; I didn't recognize her at all."

Dragonite shook his head; the irony of the situation was almost too much for him. Maybe it would get Lance to consider not wearing his cape to help conceal his identity.

Of course, that thought never crossed the dragon master's mind.

"I guess we've never been particularly close, anyway," Lance admitted. "We never really speak to each other out side of meetings… Hey, wait a second!"

The three Pokemon in the bathroom looked up, watching their trainer and awaiting to hear his revelation.

"All those times, when I thought her eyes were closed in concentration, she was actually sleeping!" Lance roared. "I always thought she was listening intently, but she was really sleeping through everything I said!"

The dragon Pokemon all sighed with a mixture of relief, disappointment, and frustration.

"But… I guess she can't help it," his anger vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. "Besides, she probably feels horrible about missing part of the meetings. And now _I_ feel horrible, because I lied about my identity. If I had only known…"

Dragonite tilted his head to the side, looking a bit confused.

"Well, we had already been acquainted," Lance explained. "I wouldn't have particularly minded if _she_ knew who I was. In fact, it might be nice to have someone around who knows my true identity."

Lance collapsed back onto the bed, closing his eyes with a heavy sigh, "Perhaps I should look her up tomorrow and apologize…"


End file.
